Chapter 57
Bridie had taken her time, walking past the fire engines, through the small crowd of people still gathered outside the theatre.
Kate kept trying to chivvy her along, but Bridie was feeling absurdly nervous about confronting Jack with the truth.
She hoped she could persuade him to acknowledge the truth too – he didn’t really want to be with her.
He wasn’t in love with her. Just the idea of her because of their history. It was just nostalgia for the past.
Andy appeared by Kate’s side, with George, William and Maisie. ‘Sorry, I knew we were meant to stay in the flat, but the kids were desperate to find out what was happening – and so was I!’
Kate and Bridie exchanged a glance. Kate said, ‘A lot happened. I’ll fill you in later. But everything is good. Really good.’
Bridie exchanged a smile with her sister. ‘Yes, just perfect.’
Andy frowned and glanced over at the theatre. ‘There was a fire, then?’
William said, ‘See, Maisie? I told you they were fire engines.’
Bridie nodded. ‘It was accidental.’
‘Really? So, it wasn’t Jake trying to—?’
Bridie shook her head. ‘Something caught alight, but it’s out now, and it was contained to just one room, so the show will still go ahead.’
‘That’s fantastic news,’ said Andy.
Kate looped her arm through Andy’s and took George by the hand. She turned to her sister. ‘Bridie, we’re all going home. Why don’t you head off too?’ She motioned at Jack.
Bridie took a deep breath. ‘Yes, you’re right.’ She was about to do just that when she remembered something. She looked at Andy. ‘Where’s Barney?’
‘Oh, yes, right. I hope it’s okay, but I left Barney sleeping in his crate.’
‘I wanted him to come with us,’ moaned George.
Andy sighed. ‘I know, but it’s getting late, and we decided not to wake him. He’s had quite an exciting day.’
As have we all, thought Bridie. She smiled. ‘It’s fine, Andy. Thank you for looking after him while we were gone.’
Bridie gave her sister another hug before she left them to head home. She took a deep breath and walked over to Jack and Oliver. She was relieved when she heard them chatting amiably. They hadn’t noticed her.
Bridie’s gaze drifted to Jack’s hands, the bandages dangling. ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, I think you should go to the hospital,’ she blurted, interrupting their conversation. She glanced at the ambulance and noticed the door was wide open and nobody was inside.
‘I’m not going to the hospital.’ He looked at her, then at the female paramedic, who was still there and had been trying to persuade him otherwise. He was attempting to wrap up his own bandages.
The paramedic sighed heavily. ‘All right. I can’t force you to go. I suggest you book an appointment with your doctor in a few days’ time to check they are healing.’ She left, striding through the crowd to join her colleague.
Bridie watched them close the ambulance doors. They were preparing to leave. She was just wondering where her parents were, and Isobel and Reggie, when she caught Jack still trying to sort out his bandages.
‘Here – let me …’ She started to wrap his bandages around his hands.
He winced.
‘Sorry.’ Bridie paused. ‘I am sorry for accusing you of sabotaging the theatre.’
He shook his head. ‘It’s understandable, after you’d heard I wanted to get my hands on the place, and then you found out about that planning application.’
She continued to wind his bandages. ‘Kate told me about Jade.’ Bridie hoped it wasn’t true. She gave Oliver a sideways glance, catching his eyebrows raised, clearly wondering what Kate had said about Jade.
Jack sighed. ‘Yeah, she’s filed for divorce, going to clean me out. I don’t care about the money.’
‘There are more important things than money,’ said Bridie, so disappointed to hear it was true that they were splitting up.
‘Ditto, working on the London stage.’
They stared at one another. She knew what Jack was talking about – the two of them. But there was no two of them. She knew she needed to tell him that.
‘You will stay, won’t you?’ Jack asked. ‘I’m going to fix up the theatre for the show to go ahead. In the morning I’ll arrange for the workmen to go in and sort out that room. The cleaners are booked to clean the other dressing rooms, along with the prop room – basically all the rooms backstage.’
‘Yes, I’m staying.’ How could she not? Her life was here now; she had to acknowledge that.
‘So there isn’t someone coming from London to see you on stage during the opening night?’ Oliver asked.
‘Oh, crumbs.’ Bridie had forgotten all about that. She got out her mobile phone and called her agent, leaving a message to call it off. Bridie put her phone back in her pocket. ‘There, all done.’ She smiled at Jack, looking relieved. Then at Oliver, looking equally relieved.
There was an awkward moment. The air felt heavy with things unsaid.
Bridie drew a breath. She was just psyching herself up to tell Jack the truth about her feelings for him – he would always be a friend, a very good friend, but nothing more – when a woman appeared from the crowd, sounding hysterical.
Bridie thought she recognised her voice.
‘Does anyone know what’s going on? I heard there was a fire in the theatre – did they put it out? Oh, my god, were there any casualties? Where’s my husband?’
Bridie caught sight of Jade running towards them, pulling a child by the arm through the crowd. She stopped breathlessly in front of Jack. ‘Oh, my god. I thought you’d gone and done something really, really stupid.’ She looked down at his hands. ‘You didn’t – did you?’
Oliver stepped in. ‘Actually, Jack was the hero of the hour. He saved a woman trapped inside the theatre, and if it wasn’t for him, the theatre would have been engulfed by fire and lost for sure.’
Jade suddenly flung her arms around Jack’s neck, clearly taking him by surprise. And Bridie. She’d thought it was over between them.
‘You stupid, stupid man,’ cried Jade. ‘You really had me going there. When I heard there was a fire, I thought … I thought … well all I wanted was to know you were okay.’
‘Yeah, so you’d be sure I’m still around to clean me out.’
‘I don’t care about money. I was praying that you’d be okay. I don’t care if I’m left with nothing, as long as I have you.’
‘But I thought you wanted a divorce?’
‘That’s the last thing I want. Jack, I want you. That’s always, always been what I’ve wanted.’
Bridie exchanged a glance with Oliver. His eyebrows were raised too in surprise.
‘Seriously?’ Jack looked taken aback. ‘You’re not … annoyed by the fact the I saved the theatre?’
‘I don’t care about the bloody theatre.’
‘But … but I thought all you really wanted me for was my money.’
Jade wiped tears from her eyes. ‘I thought all the things we have were what was important – the nice house, my clothes, my trips to the hair salon in London. But they were just things, stuff. I wish … I wish you hadn’t become so good at property developing.
Your long hours, wrapped up in the business, and me getting bored and just spending money.
Somewhere along the way we lost sight of each other.
But when I heard on the news … and I thought …
oh god, when I thought I might have lost you … ’
‘Mummy couldn’t stop crying the whole way here.’ Milo put his arms around Jack’s waist and started crying too.
Jake knelt down in front of Milo. ‘I’m sorry I scared you little man.’ He looked up at Jade and took her hand. ‘I’m sorry I scared you both.’
Milo stepped back, wiping his nose and drying his eyes with the sleeve of his jumper. ‘Daddy, you’re hurt.’
Jack held up his hands. ‘It’s fine. I’ll live, I promise.’
‘Daddy, will you come home now?’
Jack stood. ‘That is up to your mum.’
Jade was crying now too. ‘Oh, you silly fool. I think it’s more the case that I should be asking you if you’ll come home. I promise you I’m going to stop spending money, but can you promise me perhaps you’ll stop working so hard so we can spend more time together?’
He nodded and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Jade said, ‘Shall we go home now?’
‘Are you sure?’ Jack replied.
‘I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.’ She halted, and looked Bridie’s way, before turning her attention back to Jack. ‘And you? Is this what you really want?’
Jack stole a glance at Bridie and shrugged apologetically.
He put one arm around his wife, and the other around Milo. ‘It’s exactly what I want,’ he said firmly. ‘Come on. Let’s go home.’
Bridie watched them go. Jack didn’t give her a backward glance. She couldn’t stop smiling.
‘What are you grinning like a Cheshire cat for?’ Oliver whispered, interrupting Bridie’s rather lovely thought that Jack had finally found his soulmate, and she’d been right under his nose the whole time.
Bridie restrained herself from clapping her hands with glee at this totally unexpected development, thinking of the old adage, everything happens for a reason.
It took thinking she’d nearly lost Jack for Jade to show her true colours, and all Jack had needed to know was that she loved him, not his money.
Bridie turned to Oliver. ‘Will you walk me home?’
‘Oh, I’m sure they’ll need me here to help clear up after the fire.’
‘But Jack said he’d send in people tomorrow to clean up the mess and get the theatre ready.’
‘Yes, but there’s bound to be something I can do here now …’ He avoided eye contact.
Bridie’s stomach lurched. This was the first time he’d not readily agreed to walk her home. She wasn’t surprised, though, after what had happened the last time they’d been alone together in her flat. ‘Oliver, I’m not drunk. Not even tipsy.’
Their eyes met.
She looked at him coyly. ‘Even though I was quite drunk when I was coming on to you in the flat, and you politely declined my advances, ever the gentleman, I did recall something I said – I thought you wanted me? And you said—’
‘I do. But only if you want me, Bridie.’
Their eyes locked.
She smiled. ‘Why do you think I asked you to walk me home?’